As the sun set on an incredibly successful National Heritage Week yesterday, I was struck once again by the astonishing effort of the community groups and volunteers across Carlow and Kilkenny whose hard work and commitment made the week such a success.
My final event of the week was a wonderful boat trip on the Barrow on Bád Keppel, a lovely, relaxed way to finish a hectic week where I made it to 15 of the more than 90 events which took place across Carlow and Kilkenny. I want to extend my sincere thanks to all of the communities who gave me such a warm welcome this week; organising events, walks, talks and presentations and opening up their community halls, churches and other public spaces to bring people together to connect with their local heritage. I also want to extend a special thanks to Kilkenny County Council’s heritage officer, Regina Fitzpatrick, and biodiversity officer Bernadette Maloney; along with Carlow County Council’s Heritage Officer Eoin O’Sullivan and biodiversity officer Shane Casey.
For me this Heritage Week was a resounding success in our constituency, and it's clear that it’s growing in strength, popularity and numbers year on year. This just serves to highlight the need for continued investment in our built, cultural and social heritage - not just at government level, where I have increased investment substantially over my four and a half years as Minister for Heritage, but also at local authority level, as we continue to see the crucial role played by our Heritage Officers, Biodiversity Officers, and our library services in promoting, protecting and celebrating local heritage.
It’s important that elected members are aware that heritage matters to people, and you see this so clearly during National Heritage Week. They have to understand the need to invest in heritage plans in their annual budgets so we have a cohesive and proactive approach to investing in the built and architectural heritage of our towns and our villages. It’s an investment that we see time and again pays back dividends in the cultural and social benefits to our communities, but also in economic returns driven by tourism and the wider economic value of our heritage.
What Heritage Week also highlighted to me is how critically important it is that Kilkenny County Council would employ a county archivist as soon as possible. I attended a number of events this week where it’s clear that there are very important records that should be under the care of a county archivist and under county archives. Kilkenny is now one of the few remaining local authorities in the country that doesn't have a county archivist, and as a county and city with such important civic archives we really need to rectify that.
Last, and by no means least, I want to thank the Kilkenny-based Heritage Council: CEO Virginia Tehan, Chairperson Dr. Martina Maloney, and the entire team. The Heritage Council coordinates Heritage Week nationally with our team of Heritage Officers across the country. This relatively small team is now overseeing one of the biggest celebrations of heritage to be found anywhere in Europe, and as another successful week draws to a close I want to commend them for taking National Heritage Week from strength to strength with each passing year.
I was also encouraged this week by the fact that so many minority groups are finding space to celebrate their heritage during Heritage week. That's something that, along with the Heritage Council, I have been keen to support and encourage, particularly for our Traveller community and new communities.
Click through the gallery below for a run through of my Heritage Week highlights.
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